While the "War on Drugs" attempts to dissuade people from using drugs primarily in economic terms (Boyle, 3), I want to inform people on the more scientific side of this debate. Users view marijuana as harmless because it's natural. While it may be natural, so are the chemicals it produces which are natural poisons. That's right, the chemical Tetrahdrocannabiol (THC), that gives people their high is a natural poison. Think about it, why would a plant prod

uce a poison that is of no use to the plant? That is because there is a very important purpose from this poison for the survival of the plant (Boyle, 1).

Marijuana, like most plants has developed ways to defend itself against attack and predation just like animals. An animal's first instinct is to run away from the danger as quickly as possible. When the animal can't get away, it takes

a stand and fights with whatever weapons it has at its disposal. Of course, plants can't run away, so they developed weapons to protect themselves (Boyle, 2). These weapons may be as simple as spines on a cactus, but are often complex chemical compounds. These chemical compounds are often found in of the alkaloid family (nitrogen containing organic bases), which includes quinine, cocaine, atropine, and morphine (Boyle, int.).

Researchers have established that short-term effects of marijuana are problems with memory and learning, distorted perception (sight, sound, time, and touch), loss of motor coordination troubles with thinking, such as problem solving (NIH). It has been found that the THC changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is processed by the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a compound of the brain limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integrations of sensory experiences such as emotions and motivation. This study has shown that the THC suppresses nerve fibers in the information processing system of the brain.

There definitely is a beneficial place for marijuana in our society, i.e., for medical use. However, marijuana is not meant to be used as a drug for recreational purposes. As long as people do not understand or care what harm they are causing to themselves.

It is often disputed that marijuana and other illegal drugs do not kill as many people as tobacco and alcohol related deaths. But that is not an argument for legalizing substances which carry their own dangers. Rather it is an argument for even greater efforts at educating our people as to the very real dangers of socially accepted drugs and perhaps for new radical thinking on how to make them less socially acceptable (Boyd).

Studies have shown that regardless of age, gender, or race,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tetrahdrocannabiol THC, Consumer Reports, UK McDaniel, Tashkin Smokers, War Drugs, University Amsterdam, Boyd Marijuana, RECREATIONAL POISON, University California, marijuana smokers, people understand care, plant boyle 1, poison plant, understand care, people understand, plant boyle, boyle int, legalizing marijuana, drugs legalized, boyle 1, chemical compounds,
Approximate Word count = 1227
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)